Roles of Excitatory and Inhibitory Receptors in Spreading Depression

Spreading depression (SD) is a pathophysiological phenomenon, which induced as consequence of ischemia, cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral injury. SD roles in some clinical disorders, including migraine aura, epilepsy, head injury and transient global amnesia, have been documented. SD is a neural hyperactivity, which slowly spread in the brain, passed through neurons or astrocyte, change blood volume, cell metabolism and distribute cell ionic balance. SD is accompanied by a transient hyperactivity, which continues by neuronal depression and hyperexcitability.
Various investigation on animal and human brains showed enhancement in NMDA, AMPA, GABA as well as serotonin after SD. This review focuses on wide range of investigation on excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters after SD.